Address by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov at the delegation-level meeting of the Council of the SCO heads of states

posted 11 Jul 2016, 06:29 by Webmaster Ambasciata

Dear heads of states!

Esteemed participants of the
meeting!

First of all, I would like to
support the assessments of main outcomes of the SCO’s activity for over the
past period enunciated by the heads of delegations. During 15 years since
establishment, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has rightfully secured a
commendable place in the ranks of high-profile and influential international
organizations. It became an efficient factor of sustainable development,
strengthening peace, countering the modern challenges and threats, ensuring the
security and stability on the regional and global levels.

For over the past years the enormous
work on its scale was accomplished to form the treaty and legal basis, the
solid institutional base was established to ensure comprehensive and equal
cooperation among the states which are members of the organization.

Along with this, we realize and
comprehend how rapidly is changing the surrounding world, the confrontation and
conflicts, uncertainty and unpredictability in the world markets grow, and what
does arise a special alarm – the international terrorism, extremism and
creeping expansion of radicalism are acquiring yet more dangerous scales.

To enormous regret, in the unfolding
international situation, instead of consolidating mutual trust and cooperation,
the confrontation and competition are growing. It is impossible not to see and
not to notice this trend.

First. In the given complex
conditions it is of an utmost importance to preserve and much strengthen our
commitment to the principles of openness and non-bloc nature of the SCO
stipulated in the Charter and other fundamental documents of the association.
It is necessary in henceforth to rule out, prevent the ideology-driven and
confrontational approaches to resolving the emerging regional and international
problems.

Second. The course we have taken to
large-scale expansion of the composition of the SCO member-states, symbolized
by the start of the process of joining of India and Pakistan, without any
doubt, means that the SCO secures a new horizon and enters a new, yet more
complex stage of its activity.

All of us unambiguously understand
that complexities and difficulties shall arise, in the first place, in
achieving consensus in adopting decisions on the main issues of agenda for our
organization, taking into consideration various and at times diametrically
opposite approaches of certain states to urgent issues of international and
regional development.

But possible difficulties and
problems, emerging along the road, must in no way mean denial of the principle
of consensus, which has been enshrined in the Charter and Rules of Procedure of
the SCO. The rigorous observance of this principle, which has justified itself
in practice, will allow to rule out the emergence of controversies and
discords, which may negatively affect the efficiency of our Organization’s
activity, and lead to its fragmentation and fragmentation, and forming the
«interest-based groups».

Third. I would like to briefly dwell
on the state of affairs in neighboring Afghanistan.

The military-political situation
unfolding here can be characterized as low-grade confrontation of confronting
parties and given further continuation of which there is a serious and real
danger of overflow of instability into the neighboring countries and regions.

The absolute majority of those, who
are interested in tackling the Afghan problem, realize that there is only one
way out, i.e. these are the peaceful political negotiations among major
confronting parties under auspices of the United Nations. It is important to
resume the negotiation process between the government and confronting forces,
such as «Taliban». Along with this, the parties must not associate the very
fact of start of the negotiation process with any preliminary conditions.

Without any doubt the donor
countries and international institutions must confirm their commitments in
terms of rendering assistance to Afghanistan aimed at true recovery of social
and economic state in the country and living standards of the population, and
what is most important, - into the sphere of education and enlightenment.

Uzbekistan, guided by the principle
of bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan, makes its own contribution to
construction of communications, including the construction of the only railway
line in the country which connects the external world with Afghanistan –
Termez-Mazari-Sharif, and ensures supplies of electric power, including to the
city of Kabul.

Dear participants of the meeting!

Further expansion and deepening of
economic cooperation stand as one of the key conditions of achieving the program
goals and tasks of the Organization. Our common task in this direction must
become the implementation of priority and well-grounded economic and
infrastructure projects in the region, which meet the interests of all states,
and firstly, development of cooperation in the sphere of transport
communications.

In this regard, Uzbekistan supports
the initiative put forward by the President of the PRC Xi Jinping in terms of
establishment of the «Economic belt of the Silk Road». I would like to
underscore that its successful realization is possible exclusively on the basis
of common and mutual interests of all involved countries.

Esteemed colleagues!

In conclusion, I would like to
express confidence that the substantial exchange of views and joint productive
work will promote further deepening of the good-neighborly, friendly and
partnership relations, as well as consolidation of the atmosphere of mutual
respect, development of constructive and trustworthy dialogue between our
countries.